Friday, December 16th 2022 at 11:00 AM

Dear City Garden Community,

As we approach the longest night of the year and close out 2022, I find myself challenged by the heartaches of the past year (and years), overwhelmed with all that our young people are currently facing, and stretched as I contemplate what it will require for us to collectively march towards a brighter and better world. But, many conversations with young people in recent weeks have left me reflecting on these words, from Maya Angelou:

‍If we are bold, love strikes away the chains of fear from our souls.
Love costs all we are and will ever be.
Yet it is only love which sets us free.
A Brave and Startling Truth.
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Now, more than ever, it is essential to root ourselves in this “brave and startling truth,” and to follow our children’s resolve to delight in the miraculous, to discover the true wonders of the world, and to love wholeheartedly.  

Thank you for walking with us, day by day, and for sharing in our children’s expectation of a brighter and better world ahead.

Please enjoy these December updates from our City Garden community.  

In partnership,
Christie

We, unaccustomed to courage exiles from delight
live coiled in shells of loneliness
until love leaves its high holy temple
and comes into our sight
to liberate us into life.
‍
If we are bold, love strikes away the chains of fear from our souls.
‍
Love costs all we are and will ever be.
Yet it is only love which sets us free.
A Brave and Startling Truth.
‍
It is possible and imperative that we discover
A brave and startling truth.
‍
When we come to it
We, this people, on this wayward, floating body
Created on this earth, of this earth
Have the power to fashion for this earth
A climate where every man and every woman
Can live freely without sanctimonious piety
And without crippling fear
‍
When we come to it
We must confess that we are the possible
We are the miraculous, the true wonders of this world
That is when, and only when
We come to it.
‍
– Maya Angelou

City Garden students and staff have celebrated friendship and gratitude over the past month, with “Friendsgiving” celebrations and reflecting on what they are grateful for.

Teaching children about respect, grace and courtesy, and gratitude are integral to a Montessori environment.

With preschool as a foundational fixture in our community, this curriculum sets the stage for students to practice their values throughout their young lives, and well into adulthood.

It’s a Match! City Garden invites all members of our community to consider making a year-end contribution in support of our students.

‍All donations made by December 31st, up to $25,000, will be MATCHED by our Board of Directors and other donors.

This is a wonderful opportunity for us to maximize support for our children and our community!

Because state funding and preschool tuition don’t cover the full cost of our Montessori program, fundraising dollars are essential to make our City Garden education possible. Some of the things fundraising dollars help cover are:

• Montessori teacher training and high-quality professional development for all staff
• Montessori materials
• Preschool financial assistance through our sliding scale
• Before and after care financial assistance through our sliding scale
• Having two instructors in each classroom
• Wrap-around family support services
• Special education services
• Having a school nurse and social workers
• Specials classes for all students
• Athletics programming

We are grateful for your support of our mission!

Did you miss our open houses? Don't worry – we are now offering in person, guided tours of our schools!

‍Whether you want to visit our Early Childhood Education Center to see preschool or Kindergarten classrooms, or our Elementary and Adolescent Education Center to check out the 1st - 8th grade experience, we have you covered.

Click below to schedule your visit with Ms. Tyeshia Smith, Director of Admissions and School Social Worker!

This week we are thrilled to have Stacey Fong on campus! She is a key instructor in City Garden’s Montessori Teacher Education Program and will be mentoring/coaching our Guides who are currently going through the Elementary Training program.

‍Stacey is a first-generation American of Jamaican-Asian descent, and is a native of Ohio currently living in Colorado with her husband. She received her Bachelors of Science in Montessori Education from Xavier University in Cincinnati, Ohio and has ten years of experience as a Lower Elementary Montessori Guide in both the private and public/charter sectors. She holds an AMS Elementary I (6-9) credential and holds state teaching licenses in multiple states.

Stacey has served on school-based Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) committees, and has analyzed and acted upon efforts to support Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC) faculty and staff through fostering equitable practices organization-wide. She attended Montessori schools through the 8th grade and credits her Montessori education with instilling a passion for learning, a strong sense of independence, and the development of deep pride in her work.

She also enjoys spending time with her family, trying new foods with her husband, and living each day as a gift in itself. Please help us welcome Stacey, and join us in wishing her well!

Congratulations are in order – City Garden's very own Reading Specialist & Tutoring Coordinator, Ms. Tabitha Harrell, is now Dr. Tabitha Harrell!

Having completed her Ed.D in from Maryville University, Dr. Harrell is excited to leverage her collective knowledge and advanced degrees to continue serving and teaching the students of City Garden Montessori.

Way to go, Dr. Harrell! You truly embody what it means to be a life-long learner.

The City Garden Parent Action Committee (PAC) has tested out a new and exciting approach to connecting with families and building relationships across the parent community.

The PAC Coffee hosted on Friday, December 9th during morning drop off garnered great turn out and praise. Parents gathered on Folsom Field across from the Elementary and Adolescent Education Center to drink coffee, mingle with other parents, and find ways to plug into the mission and purpose of PAC.
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Congratulations to the parent organizations and PAC leadership!

We are grateful to the City Garden community for generously supporting our efforts to provide holiday gifts and support for several City Garden families in need.

Special thanks to Ms. Katherine Ingersoll, Family Support Coordinator, who coordinated this effort!

Thank you for being part of the City Garden community, and for all you do to support our mission. We wish you well!

In partnership,

Christie Huck
CEO/Executive Director